1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to guide or marker posts, and more particularly to guide or marker posts that are arranged to be replaceable by means of securing base structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, various problems and difficulties are encountered in providing suitable means for installing guide or marker post units so that the post members can be readily replaced when damaged.
The known devices at the present time have features that restrict their use because they cannot be readily replaced, when necessary. These units are characterized by certain shortcomings in their preparation and application, these shortcomings being familiar to those manufacturing and employing such devices.
However, there are some markers that have been designed to overcome these difficulties, but these are still found to have inherent problems--such as, when they are struck by vehicles, the posts will separate from their bases, or the bases and the posts are both torn away from the ground structure.
As examples of several types of guide posts and markers, there are the following United States patents that have been issued in this field of invention.
A traffic-marking device by Gill, U.S. Pat. No. 2,121,961, having a very simple mounting structure of the type that provides a very-short life span for the unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,647 to Shopbell is a marker used on athletic fields and it does not require the structure for markers used on roadways and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,528 to Abrams is a traffic guide post having a hollow base member to hold water, for weight-stabilizing purposes.
The guide picket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,112 to Ebinger just shows a tubular post inserted into a ground structure, without a base member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,686 to Williams the post member is constructed of a plurality of post portions united together by means of a steel cable having a mounting structure comprising a base plate and a pair of anchor bolts secured to the road surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,183 issued to the present inventor is also of the type that is structurally mounted within the ground surface--which device in itself lead to the improvement comprising the replaceable guide post, as herein disclosed.